Businessman fatally shot after opening door

Gunman kills him during children's sleepover in Montrose area

Ash Rowell (right, with Dave Fougeron) was shot to death on Friday night in Houston. (Photo from the book "Houston Beer" by Ronnie Crocker.)

Officers believe the assailant knew the victim at this home in the 1800 block of Portsmouth. (Photo by Mike Glenn/Chronicle)

Houston's tight-knit craft-beer community was coming to grips Saturday with news that a well-liked distributor was gunned down at his Montrose home.Ashley "Ash" Rowell was fatally shot about 7:45 p.m. Friday when he answered his front door in the 1800 block of Portsmouth, police said.

Rowell, 35, was home with his wife, three children and two other children who were sleeping over at the time of the attack, police said.

"He opened up the door and was shot in the doorway," said Sgt. Brian Harris, of HPD's homicide division. "Some of the children may have seen the victim on the ground."

There is no indication the slaying was a random act. The house was not ransacked, police said.

"We believe the assailant knew the victim," Harris said. "We'll put together his business dealings and friendships. Who would want to hurt this man?" Usually, the suspect will appear as being that missing piece."

While police had not identified a suspect Saturday, witnesses told investigators a dark-colored sedan was seen speeding away from the home.

The former owner of Duff Beer Distribution was described by customers and friends as a jovial man who was passionate about his business.

"He cared," said Jake Rainey, Houston regional manager for Flying Saucer bar. "Even when he was upset, he was always smiling. He was a fun, happy person. He had a big heart."

Rainey met Rowell 10 years ago when The Flying Saucer became Duff's first bar account for beer. Rowell took good care of the specialty beers he sold and also promoted them, Rainey said.

"He introduced them to people who had never heard of them before and got them drinking good beers," he said.

Rowell got into distributing beer through his family's business, Noble Union Imports, which imports beer from Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, said friend and customer Dave Fougeron.

The two met about five years ago, when Fougeron's Conroe brewery, Southern Star Brewing Co., was starting to solicit for distributors.

"He was one of four distributors we interviewed and we instantly clicked with him," Fougeron said. "He was very passionate about what he was doing, trying to build his brand up."

Rowell's enthusiasm helped small breweries take off as his distributorship grew, Fougeron said.

"He played such a critical part in growing the Houston beer scene," Fougeron said. "It seemed like his modus operandi was to bring on these small new fledgling craft breweries and help them get their product out to market."

Initially based in Pasadena, Duff moved its headquarters and warehouse to Houston's Garden Oaks neighborhood about a year ago, Fougeron said.

In early January, he said, the company was acquired by Favorite Brands Houston, also known as L and F Distributors.

Fougeron described the business deal as a "friendly merger."

Rowell's death was a big shock, said Ben Fullelove, owner of the Petrol Station bar and cafe.

"My phone's been ringing all morning," Fullelove said Saturday. "The craft-beer community is pretty tight-knit."

Fullelove, who met Rowell about seven years ago, said he was one of the nicest people he knew.

"Sometimes you'd need favors, equipment or things like that, and he was always willing to help out," he said. "Anybody who knew him knew he was incredibly generous."